How did this kit work for you? My No. 2s have started to make a creaking noise recently so I think I'm going to have to add this to the list soon.
Replacing lower control arm "No. 2 Bushing" (3 Viewers)
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The Mevotech Arms from RockAuto are $130 with life time warranty(Premium version). It comes with new bushings and Ball joint. I'm leaning towards that instead of fiddling with bushings #1 and Ball joint. Frame bushings will be a PITA for sure since I have a New England Rig. I did the bushings for rear arms and Panhard. The time it took was more than 6-7 hours with limited tools for a DIY person like me. Just don't want to do that again.
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JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
The lower arm only comes with one bushing. The frame bushing still has to be removed and replaced.
Curiously, the frame bushing was the easiest of all the ones I did on mine. But I don't live in the rust belt.
Yes! you are correct. Forgive my unclear statement. I meant I could at least save myself some time by getting the whole arm. OEM bushings#1 and Ball joint alone will be ~$200. The whole arm pair from Mevotech is ~$260. Once I inspect the frame bushings, I'll decide if I want to even touch that or leave it alone. Also, it saves me the time to clean the rust and paint the arms. Also my rig has been fluid filmed or Oil undercoated most of its life so the rust is not that bad but it sucks working on them.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Frame bushing was the easiest bushing I did on my 100 too. The UCA bushings sucked tho.
I am planning to get the control arms done hopefully in the thanksgiving break. After seeing the easiset is the frame bushing I feel so relaxed. Not many in Sun belt report any issue with this bushing and we only see people struggling with this bushing so I thought that is the worst thing I'll have to encounter in this project.
Did you all set the lower control arm at the riding height and tighten the bolts before mounting the torsion bar bolts to the LCA?
You can snug the hardware wheels in the air but fully tighten and torque with wheels on the ground. Having a drive on lift like a Hunter Alignment lift really helps so that you can stand underneath and use a 3/4" torque wrench to get that 170+ftlbs torque spec. With the truck on the ground- even tires on blocks- the long handle torque wrench is hard to get purchase on the controls arm nuts.
There is a reason its called a "#2" Bushing- (I'll let your mind wander with that).
Getting the No#2 bushing to release: apply penetrant for a few days ahead of time. Using a heat gun on the bushing mount isn't a requirement, but it helped in my situation to move the penetrant in further and loosen up the crust on the rear end of the bushing. No harm in using heat gun- open flame on the other hand could start a fire-
There is a reason its called a "#2" Bushing- (I'll let your mind wander with that).
Getting the No#2 bushing to release: apply penetrant for a few days ahead of time. Using a heat gun on the bushing mount isn't a requirement, but it helped in my situation to move the penetrant in further and loosen up the crust on the rear end of the bushing. No harm in using heat gun- open flame on the other hand could start a fire-
Is it possible to access the bolt on #2 bushing once the torque arm is installed to the LCA?
Yes, I have tighten all nuts bolts on control arms once the weight is placed on the suspension. Would it be possible to use a swivel joint and few extensions to get more room to tighten the nuts on #1 and #2 bushings?
Another option - measure your hub to fender height before you begin the job. After you change the bushings and reassemble everything (except the torsion bars), you can jack up the lower arm to the normal position you measured at the beginning, and then torque the bolts while the truck is on a lift or jack stands. Then you can finish assembling everything.
It’s crucial to bushing lifespan to torque with wheels on the ground where suspension is in its natural resting position. Doing it the way you describe would be difficult to ensure the lower arm is in the optimal/same position as if wheels resting on the ground.
Fwiw all of this is to make sure the bushings are torqued in resting position.
Also- pay attention to the #2 bushing orientation before removal, and clock the new one same way before pressing it in.
I'm not sure I follow. I think a measurement between two fixed points is the same on the ground or in the air, and the bushing won't know the difference. It's about the bushing not "resting" in a twisted position where it spends most of its life. Of course, in motion its all over the place, its constantly changing as your tires wear, etc etc. We may be measuring with a micrometer and cutting with a battle axe.
In fact, if you just put it on the ground and do nothing to settle the suspension, the truck will be artificially high when you torque it. You probably need to drive it around a bit to get the tires out in their natural position. Of course, if you happen to own an alignment lift those fancy plates will move and help with the settling.
We are aligned in theory
on bushing twist- I just don’t think that the measurement methodology you’re describing is a process that would produce a consistent result- I guess it’s debatable. In my case I stacked 3 layers of 2x6 planks under the front wheels to get room to swing the torque wrench under the truck-
Torquing them at right height for me meant a click at a time, it was a real pain. I was able to get close to final torque value, which was enough for the teeth on the bushing to bite into the metal and the bushing to not move, then I got the last 20-30 ft-lb click with the front wheels on ramps to give myself a few more inches of clearance. To get the nut behind the torsion bar mount, I had to grind down a wrench to slip it between the control arm and the mount.
We are aligned in theory
In my case I stacked 3 layers of 2x6 planks under the front wheels to get room to swing the torque wrench under the truck-
The method he is describing does work, and it's a very standard process for suspension work. You measure the relative position from hub center to fender when on the ground. Then when it is in the air during re-install, just reset the assy back to that measurement prior to torquing. On an LC, there are other things you can measure (eg, gap between control arm and bump stop) if you wanted as well. Same end result.
Fine if you aren't dealing with worn suspension measurements. Needs to be set to 'spec'.
It doesn't matter if the truck is on the ground or in the air, you simply want the arms torqued when they are in as close to nominal running orientation, which may not necessarily be exactly the factory position. Your truck could be heavier loaded or the suspension could have settled some or you could have cranked the torsion bars, etc., and locking the arms in at the "factory spec" would be worse from a bushing life standpoint.
Yes, it matters not whether the vehicle is on the ground or in the air, that is well understood, we need only 'load' the suspension which has been covered numerous times in numerous threads.
But your original post seems to suggest the OP take the measurement Hub to Fender before starting work and then just return the suspension to whatever that figure was. My reply...to that concerns the real possibility that there exists worn suspension parts and sagging torsion bars. Thus...the reason to return to factory spec. OP WILL be be adjusting the torsion bars to help achieve this.
When factory spec (distance from hub to fender) is locked in we have as close to a neutral position (for the bushing) with respect to suspension geometry. This will make front end alignment easier. The bushings by design are meant to flex of course but they have a finite range of movement. The object here is not to start the suspension grossly one direction or the other in order to preserve bushing life.
A vehicle that sees mostly on-road use, under most conditions is going to give good service whether the OP is off a little one or the other....provided you use OEM quality bushings. Heavy off-road use makes things more critical and bushing life will be commensurate with the use/abuse seen there.
Whatever method used to get suspension into a neutral stance. Keep in mind we've 4 points (6, if also doing UCA) on each side, to torque once at neutral stance.
2- Lower control arm bushing nuts. (2-UCA bushing)
1- Shock lower bolt. (We always want to torque the nut, but not practical in all cases)
1- Link bolt. (This one, is the most missed)
It's also a very good idea to have alignment, done post service. One can paint nuts/bolts, with torque spec. Than ask alignment tech to loosen and than torque, while on the rack. Added benefit, everything settle on drive to alignment shop.
2- Lower control arm bushing nuts. (2-UCA bushing)
1- Shock lower bolt. (We always want to torque the nut, but not practical in all cases)
1- Link bolt. (This one, is the most missed)
It's also a very good idea to have alignment, done post service. One can paint nuts/bolts, with torque spec. Than ask alignment tech to loosen and than torque, while on the rack. Added benefit, everything settle on drive to alignment shop.
